The KFC Mini-Cricket programme grew from
83 638 participants in the 2010/11 season to 100 702 in the 2011/12
season, an increase of 20 percent ,which far exceeds the 10 percent target set
by KFC and Cricket SA for its Unions.
KFC partnered with CSA two years ago with the aim
of reaching as many children as possible to promote an active and balanced
lifestyle. It is important for kids to
develop an active and balanced lifestyle at a young age because it becomes a
habit that can be a benefit for a lifetime.
The increase in participation would not have been
possible without the 6 000 or so coaches who manage the programme. Each
year KFC Mini-cricket salutes one of these volunteers by naming him or her the
KFC Mini-Cricket Coach of the Year. This year that person is Angela Cilliers of
the Matatiele district of KwaZulu-Natal.
Cilliers was given this prestigious award in recognition of her passion
for the programme and for the boys and girls she coaches. Her leadership,
organisational and motivational qualities have been commended in the running of
the programme in her district. She has
not been involved for as many years as some of the former winners, but her
commitment, quality of her work and the drive to get children leading an active
and balanced lifestyle makes her a worthy recipient.
Cilliers, who is a teacher at St Monica's School in Matatiele, says
KFC KFC Mini-Cricket is in her blood.
She was responsible for the growth of the KFC Mini-Cricket programme
at the previous school she taught - Rivermead Christian Academy – and was
instrumental in getting the programme going in the district, a rural area where
there were very few sporting opportunities for the young boys and girls.
She remembers her introduction to the programme well. "I was told
to run KFC Mini-Cricket at my previous school, although I had no idea what it
was all about. I was given a KFC Mini-Cricket booklet and was told to study and
run the KFC Mini-Cricket coaching lessons as from the next day.”
“That night I fell in love with the programme. The next day I held my
first coaching session and I have never looked back. This is a programme that
can teach young students about getting the basics right so that they can become
the very best they can be.”
She was appointed the sports co-ordinator at St Monica’s this year and
immediately set about introducing KFC Mini-Cricket in the school; she is also
busy getting it going in the surrounding rural areas as well.
Cilliers has a Basic Coaching Mini-Cricket (Level 0) qualification and
has been involved with the programme since 2009. In that time she has imparted
cricket and life skills to hundreds of boys and girls, of which roughly half
were girls. She says it has been particularly pleasing that so many girls are
now involved.
Looking back over the years of her involvement in the programme, she
believes the most memorable moment was when she was selected to attend the KFC
Mini-Cricket National Seminar. “This was an awesome privilege for me. You come
back from there and just want to persuade every small student to start playing
KFC Mini-Cricket,” said Cilliers.
“The past
season focused on growing the programme and this upcoming season is about
endorsing the active and balanced lifestyle message and informing the public
why KFC is so passionate about this programme” commented Dave Timm, Chief
Marketing Officer of KFC
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